Planning permission granted for ambitious artwork by Alex Chinneck
A new floating sculpture by internationally renowned artist Alex Chinneck has been given the ‘thumbs up’ for the Sheffield & Tinsley Canal. The Canal and River Trust says it’s delighted by the news. The charity looks after the nation’s waterways. Last year, it mounted a huge drive to try to tackle plastic pollution.
The ambitious new commission will be installed on the Tinsley Flight, close to Tinsley Marina later this year. It’s the first time the artist has embarked on a floating artwork.
Sculpted into a loop-de-loop from rolled steel, the impressive full-sized canal boat artwork will incorporate signwriting and traditional canal boat colours.
The aim is to celebrate the history of Sheffield’s historic waterways and the city’s industrial heritage. It’s a city shaped by its historic waterways and the canal is often used by boaters, paddlers, walkers and cyclists.
The design and location of the artwork has been carefully considered to retain usual boating navigation while developing the canal as a visitor destination. It’s set to be positioned between locks Four and Five of Sheffield and Tinsley Canal.
Managers say the waterway ‘will serve as a gallery space for the sculpture, enabling the loop-de-loop work will be able to be viewed from 180 degrees, either from on the water or from the canal and will also protect the navigation channel.’
Alex Chineck: The looping boat on Tinsley Canal. Image: Alex Chinneck Studio.
The planning application for the artwork was submitted by artist Alex Chinneck on behalf of the Tinsley Art Project Board, which includes: Sheffield City Council, E.ON, British Land, Tinsley Forum, Canal & River Trust and Yorkshire Water.
The project is co-funded by British Land and by energy company E.ON. It’s committed to creating a public artwork as part of its redevelopment of the Blackburn Meadows site.
Keeping canals alive for future generations
‘At a time when keeping our amazing canals alive for future generations to enjoy is more important than ever,’ says Sean McGinley, regional director, Yorkshire & North East at Canal & River Trust.
‘Alex’s remarkable floating sculpture will help to bring new interest and focus to the canal and add to the existing art trail, developed during the 200th anniversary celebrations of Sheffield & Tinsley Canal in 2019.’
‘We are looking forward to seeing Alex’s vision and our ideas becoming a reality,’ says Graham Whitfield, Tinsley Forum.
‘It will be fantastic for the area to have this unusual and playful addition that will help to inspire young and old to have an interest in art, health and the local waterways, whilst transforming an area of Sheffield, where there is a lack of public art.’
‘The newly approved designs for this public artwork in Tinsley are bold and ambitious,’ comments Diana Buckley, Director of Economy, Skills and Culture at Sheffield City Council.
‘Not only do they celebrate the history of the area perfectly, but they also encourage the discovery and enjoyment of the waterway. We hope that once unveiled, local people, and visitors alike, will enjoy and learn from the new sculpture.’
‘We committed to funding a public artwork that reflects the industrial past of Sheffield as part of our redevelopment of the Blackburn Meadows site into the renewable energy plant that serves the city today,’ says Chris Lovatt, Chief Operating Officer for Energy Infrastructure Solutions at E.ON.
‘This is a project that’s been a few years in the making and we can’t wait to see it come to fruition.’
Past artwork visited by more than 5,000 people in five days
Alex Chinneck has created multiple artworks in Tinsley over the past seven years, including a sculpture of a car hanging upside down. The artwork was visited by more than 5,000 people over a period of five days.
In 2019, Alex returned to Tinsley with a new sculpture – a knotted post box, which was temporarily installed on a residential street outside Tinsley Meadows Primary Academy.
‘We’re as excited as ever to deliver our third artwork for Tinsley,’ says Alex. ‘This is a positive step in an ambitious direction.’
